Vehicle shield

ABSTRACT

A vehicle shield is provided according to the invention. The vehicle shield is constructed to avoid excessive hood flutter. The shield includes a vehicle shield region and an attachment region. The vehicle shield region is constructed for extending across at least a portion of a vehicle hood for protecting the vehicle hood. The attachment region is constructed for attaching the vehicle shield region to a vehicle. Also provided is a method of installing the shield to a motor vehicle.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No.15/593,217 that was filed with the United States Patent and TrademarkOffice on May 11, 2017, which is a continuation of U.S. application Ser.No. 15/052,167 that was filed with the United States Patent andTrademark Office on Feb. 24, 2016, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,650,005, which isa continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 14/182,041 that was filedwith the United States Patent and Trademark Office on Feb. 17, 2014, nowU.S. Pat. No. 9,302,639, which is a continuation of U.S. applicationSer. No. 13/037,017 that was filed with the United States Patent andTrademark Office on Feb. 28, 2011, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,651,554, andincludes the disclosure of U.S. Application Ser. No. 61/339,044 that wasfiled with the United States Patent and Trademark Office on Feb. 26,2010. A priority right is claimed to U.S. Provisional Application Ser.No. 61/339,044, to the extent appropriate. The completed disclosures ofU.S. application Ser. Nos. 61/339,044, 13/037,017, 14/182,041, and15/052,167 are incorporated herein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This application relates to vehicle shields to protect the front end ofa vehicle, such as the leading edge of a hood, or a portion of the frontfascia of the vehicle.

BACKGROUND

Numerous types of vehicle shields have been developed to protect avehicle from contact with road debris, bugs, and to deflect airflow awayfrom windshields. These devices are also commonly referred to as bugshields or airflow deflectors. Such devices are described in U.S. Pat.No. 4,929,013 to Eke, U.S. Pat. No. 5,112,095 to Lund et al., U.S. Pat.No. 5,755,483 to Lund, U.S. Pat. No. 6,027,156 to Lund et al., U.S. Pat.No. 6,752,446 to Espinose et al, U.S. Pat. No. 6,910,316 Espinose etal., and U.S. Pat. No. 7,156,452 to Schumacher et al, each of which arehereby incorporated herein in its entirety. All of the above patents areassigned to Lund Industries, Incorporated, the assignee of this patentapplication.

Changes in the design and manufacturing of vehicles have raised newissues with respect to the construction of vehicle shields. Becausehoods on later model vehicles are generally thinner and lighter, somevehicle shields can cause an excessive amount of hood flutter at highspeeds. Additionally, many vehicles are produced in such a manner thattraditional hood shields using clips or other fasteners cannot beattached. In some vehicle models where the leading edge of the hood isvirtually horizontal, the front fascia of the vehicle needs to beprotected instead of the leading edge of the hood. Furthermore, agreater emphasis on fuel economy in vehicle design has led to the needfor front end vehicle protection with improved aerodynamics.Improvements are desired.

SUMMARY

A vehicle shield is provided according to the disclosure. The vehicleshield is constructed for extending across at least a portion of avehicle hood or front fascia for protecting the vehicle's exteriorsurface. By use of the term “front fascia,” it is meant to include thefinished front surface of the vehicle surface that surrounds the frontbumper and grille. In many instances, the front fascia is in front ofthe leading edge of the vehicle hood and wraps around the front sides ofthe vehicle such that it extends well beyond the leading edge width ofthe hood. The vehicle shield includes a main body and an attachmentsystem for connecting the main body to the vehicle. The main body has anouter periphery defined by a leading edge, a trailing edge, a first sideedge and a second side edge. The main body also has a first sidecomprising a protection surface that extends to the edges and is definedby the outer periphery. The main body has a contour configurationdesigned to follow or match the contoured surface configuration of avehicle's hood or front fascia. On the side opposite the protectionsurface is a second side comprising an attachment surface having asecond contoured shape designed to follow the first contour of theprotection surface. By the use of the term “contour” it is meant toinclude surfaces that are not merely planar. By the use of the term“follow,” in this context, it is meant that the vehicle shield main bodysurface(s), excluding the edges, are generally equidistant from thevehicle contoured surface throughout the majority of the vehicle shield.The attachment system can include first, second, third and fourthadhesive tape sections, each of which have a thickness and a tape liner.The first adhesive tape section can be connected to the attachmentsurface adjacent to or proximate the leading edge of the vehicle shieldwhile the second adhesive tape section can be connected to theattachment surface adjacent to or proximate the trailing edge of thevehicle shield. By the use of the term “proximate” it is meant todelineate that the adhesive tape sections are closer to the outerperiphery of the vehicle shield than they are to the central portion ofthe vehicle shield. Optionally, the leading edge, the trailing edge andthe two side edges have a lip and/or are rolled downward towards theattachment side to define an edge depth. The vehicle shield main bodycan have a substantially uniform material thickness and can be formedfrom acrylic, ABS plastic, or other suitable materials. Additionally,the main body can also have a chrome film coating, a painted filmcoating, or can be given a smoke appearance. A method of installing thevehicle shield is also disclosed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of a first embodiment of a vehicleshield mounted on a vehicle.

FIG. 2 is a top view of the vehicle shield and vehicle of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a first side view of the vehicle shield and vehicle of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a second side view, opposite the first side view of FIG. 3, ofthe vehicle shield and vehicle of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a schematic top view of a generic vehicle shield before beingmounted onto a vehicle.

FIG. 6 is a schematic bottom view of the vehicle shield of FIG. 1,showing a first embodiment of an attachment system.

FIG. 6a is a schematic bottom view of the vehicle shield of FIG. 1showing a second embodiment of an attachment system.

FIG. 7 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a generic vehicle shield.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of a vehicle shieldmounted on a vehicle.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a third embodiment of a vehicle shieldmounted on a vehicle.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a fourth embodiment of a vehicle shieldmounted on a vehicle.

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a fifth embodiment of a vehicle shieldmounted on a vehicle.

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of a sixth embodiment of a vehicle shieldmounted on a vehicle.

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a seventh embodiment of a vehicleshield mounted on a vehicle.

FIG. 14 is a perspective view of an eighth embodiment of a vehicleshield mounted on a vehicle.

FIG. 15 is a perspective view of a ninth embodiment of a vehicle shieldmounted on a vehicle.

FIG. 16 is a perspective view of a tenth embodiment of a vehicle shieldmounted on a vehicle.

FIG. 17 is a perspective view of an eleventh embodiment of a vehicleshield mounted on a vehicle.

FIG. 18 is a top perspective view of the vehicle shield and vehicle ofFIG. 1 showing a schematic view of optional side shields.

FIG. 19 is a top view of the vehicle shield and vehicle of FIG. 18.

FIG. 20 is a first side view of the vehicle shield and vehicle of FIG.18.

FIG. 21 is a second side view, opposite the first side view of FIG. 20,of the vehicle shield and vehicle of FIG. 18.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A vehicle shield 100 for protecting the exterior surface 202 of avehicle 200 is disclosed. When a vehicle is driving at a high rate ofspeed, debris can strike and damage the front end of the vehicle. Thosesurfaces of the front end of the vehicle 200 that are at an angle to theroad are the most vulnerable because the potential impact angle fromdebris is the greatest. In some cases, this area is the leading edge 204a of the vehicle's hood 204, and in others it is the front fascia 206 ofthe vehicle 200. The disclosed vehicle shield 100 is designed to protectthese areas of the vehicle 200. FIGS. 1-4 and 7-15 show embodimentswhere the vehicle shield 100 is attached to the hood 204 of the vehicle200 while FIGS. 16-17 show the vehicle shield 100 attached to the frontfascia 206 of the vehicle 200.

Vehicles 200, or portions thereof, to which the vehicle shield 100 areattached are shown at FIGS. 1-4 and 7-17. As noted at FIGS. 1-4, vehicle200 has an exterior surface 202 that extends across a hood 204, a frontfascia 206, a right fender 208, a left fender 210 and a front grille212. The hood 204 has a leading edge 204 a and a contoured surfaceconfiguration 204 b. Hood 204 also has a first side edge 204 c and asecond side edge 204 d separated by a width, W_(H). Front fascia 206also has a contoured surface configuration 206 a. In some cases, thefront grille 212, the front fascia 206, or the hood 204 may have anemblem 214.

One aspect of vehicle shield 100 is the main body 110. As shown, mainbody 110 has a length, L_(MB) and an outer periphery 112 defined by aleading edge 112 a, a trailing edge 112 b, a first side edge 112 c and asecond side edge 112 d. The main body 110 also has side portions 110 anear the first and second side edges, 112 c and 112 d. Length, L_(MB)extends from the first side edge 112 c to the second side edge 112 d.When attached to a vehicle 200, the leading edge 112 a of the main body110 is the forward most part of the vehicle shield 100. The outerperiphery 112 defines a first side comprising a protection surface 120.Protection surface 120 is the portion of vehicle shield 100 that facesaway from the vehicle exterior surface 202 so as to protect the exteriorsurface 202 from damage by debris. Opposite the protection surface 120,and separated by a thickness T_(MB), is a first side comprising anattachment surface 130 to which an attachment system 150, discussedlater, is connected. Both the protection surface 120 and the attachmentsurface 130 can have contour configurations 122, 132, respectively, thatare shaped to follow the contoured surface configuration 204 b of thehood 204 or the contoured surface configuration 206 a of the frontfascia 206. As such, the protection surface 120, the attachment surface130, and the portion of the vehicle 200 exterior 202 to which thevehicle shield 100 is attached, are generally equidistant from eachother. In the particular embodiment shown, the protection surfacecontour configuration 122 and the attachment surface contourconfiguration 132 are generally equidistant from each other asthickness, T_(MB) is shown as being substantially constant throughoutthe main body 110. It should be noted that the vehicle shield main body110 has a pre-molded contoured shape which is in contrast to an articlethat is simply a planar, thin material that naturally takes the shape ofthe surface on which it is placed. Additionally, the contoured shape ofthe main body 110 in many embodiments is generally symmetrical from theleading edge 112 a to the trailing edge 112 b throughout the majority ofthe length, L_(MB), of the main body 110. However, nearer to the sideedges 112 c, 112 d, at the side portions 110 a of the main body 110, thecontoured shape often changes to accommodate the changing contour of thevehicle exterior surface 202. As can be appreciated, the contoured shapeof the main body 110 can vary significantly throughout the length,L_(MB) and does not have to result in a constant cross-sectional shape.

Another aspect of vehicle shield 100, is attachment system 150. Asstated previously, the attachment system 150 is for bonding the mainbody 110 of the vehicle shield 100 to the exterior surface 202 of thevehicle. Many types of attachment systems are suitable for this purpose.In the particular embodiment shown, and as best seen at FIG. 6,attachment system 150 can include first, second, third and fourthadhesive tape sections, 150 a, 150 b, 150 c, and 150 d, respectively.Each of the tape sections 150 a-d can comprise a single length of tapeor multiple lengths of tape. Also, each of the adhesive tape sectionshas a thickness, T_(AS) and a tape liner 154 for preserving andprotecting the adhesiveness of the tape sections up to the point thatthe vehicle shield 100 is to be installed. Attachment system 150 canalso have pads 152, for example rubber pads, disposed on the attachmentsurface 130 to provide support for the vehicle shield 100 at pointswhere there is no adhesive tape section in order to prevent the hood 204of the vehicle from becoming scratched.

In the embodiments shown, the first adhesive tape section 150 a isarranged proximate the leading edge 112 a of the vehicle shield 100while the second adhesive tape section 150 b is arranged proximate tothe trailing edge 112 b of the vehicle shield 100. The third and fourthadhesive tape sections, 150 c and 150 d, are shown as being proximate tothe first and second side edges 112 c, 112 d, respectively. Thus, in thearrangement shown, the majority of the attachment surface 130, and theentire central portion 130 a of the attachment surface 130 is notcovered by the adhesive tape sections. However, one skilled in the artwill appreciate that more or fewer adhesive tape sections may be used invarious arrangements. One notable feature of attachment system 150 isthat tape sections 150 a and 150 b are each oriented to define a channelor cut 151 at about the midpoint of main body 110. Cut 151 can be formedby cutting away tape section lengths or by leaving a gap between tapesection lengths. Cut 151 allows for moisture that may have gatheredalong the tape sections 150 a, 150 b to drain away from the main body110. In the particular embodiment shown, channel 151 is about 0.25 inch.Additionally, between the individual tape lengths of the tape sectionsallow for moisture vapor to escape and thereby help to preventundesirable condensation from forming on the attachment surface 130 ofthe main body 110.

In a preferred embodiment, adhesive tape sections 150 c and 150 d arenot used, as shown in FIG. 6a . FIG. 6a shows an alternativeconfiguration for attachments system 150 wherein the first and secondside edges 112 c, d of the main body 110 contain no adhesive tapesections extending along the first and second edges 112 c, 112 d betweenthe first and second adhesive tape sections. In some embodiments, it hasbeen discovered that attachment system 150 provides better adhesionperformance through multiple thermal expansion/contraction cycles whentape sections at the ends 112 a, 112 b of the main body 110 are notused. In general, main body 110 will expand and contract a greaterdistance from end 112 c to end 112 d in direction 160, as compared toexpansion occurring in a direction from the leading edge 112 a to thetrailing edge 112 b. Direction 160 is also the general lengthwisedirection of the main body 110 and parallel to length L_(MB). As aconsequence of thermal expansion, main body 110 exerts a force upon theadhesive tape sections of the attachment system 150 along direction 160.This force can cause adhesive tape sections to become detached from thehood 204. Adhesive tape sections extending from the leading edge 112 ato the trailing edge 112 b and located at the ends 112 c, 112 d of themain body 110 are especially prone to detachment due to the fact thatthey are oriented generally perpendicular to the direction of force 160.By use of the term “generally perpendicular,” it is meant to includeorientations that are greater than 45 degrees from the direction offorce 160. As shown in FIGS. 6 and 6A, ends 112 c, 112 d are about 80degrees from direction 160 as represented by angle α. In someembodiments, where adhesive tape sections at the ends 112 c, 112 d havesufficient strength to remain attached, the main body 110 can buckleduring thermal expansion as the adhesive tape sections can physicallyprevent the ends from moving when the rest of the main body 110 isexpanding. As such, it can be beneficial to configure attachment system150 such that ends 112 c and 112 d of the main body 110 are free fromgenerally perpendicular adhesive tape sections. It is noted that theparticular embodiments shown in FIGS. 6 and 6A does have some tapesections 150 a at the leading edge 112 a that are generallyperpendicular to the lengthwise direction of the main body 110. Whilethese tape sections could be removed for greater thermal expansionperformance, it has been found that the overall adhesive performance isenhanced as the main body 110 must be secured to the hood 204 as themain body wraps around the front grill 212. Additionally, thermalexpansion is not as severe of an issue as is present at the ends 112 c,112 d of the main body 110. It is also noted that these generallyperpendicular tape sections are shown on the outermost portions of themain body 110 for a distance from the ends 112 c, 112 d at least equalto or greater than the distance between the leading and trailing edgesof the main body 110.

FIG. 6A also shows a preferred arrangement of tape sections 150 b alongthe trailing edge 112 b of the main body 110. Instead of using acontinuous length of tape from cut 150 to the ends 112 c, 112 d, FIG. 6Ashows two separate lengths 150 b on each side and separated from pads152. As can be seen at FIG. 1, the main body 110 has an aggressivelyshaped contour with highly radiused curves at the general location ofpads 152. In locations such as these, the tape sections can havedifficulty following the contours while still maintaining good adhesionperformance. As such, using multiple tape sections 150 b in these areas,in conjunction with pads 152, can result in better adhesion performancewhile ensuring that hood 214 remains protected from the main body 110.FIG. 6A also shows a preferred arrangement of multiple lengths of tapesections 150 a used for the generally perpendicular lengths that wrapdownwardly along the front grill 212 of the hood. It has been found thatusing multiple sections in areas typical of this provide enhancedadhesion performance.

The particular adhesive used in the embodiments shown is a double-sidedautomotive grade foam core acrylic tape from the 3M Corporation (model5390). The tape shown is approximately 2 millimeters thick and 8millimeters wide, although other thicknesses and widths may be used. Forexample, the tape sections could be less than 1 millimeter thick and upto 5 millimeters, or more thick. The width could also be less than 1millimeter wide and up to the width of the main body 110, depending onthe configurations of the tape sections. Through the use of attachmentsystem 150, it should be appreciated that vehicle shield 100 can beconfigured such that no part of the main body 110 of the vehicle shield100 comes into contact with the exterior surface 202 of the vehicle 200.

As can be best seen at FIG. 7, the leading edge 112 a, the trailing edge112 b, the first side edge 112 c and the second side edge 112 d of thevehicle shield 100 can be rolled downwards towards the attachmentsurface 130 to define a lip having an edge depth, D_(MB). As shown, thelip extends towards the vehicle surface 202 beyond the plain of theattachment surface 130 and can be formed by a variety of methods. Forexample, the lip can be formed during the thermoforming process andoptionally further trimmed after thermoforming. The lip can also beseparately formed after the thermoforming process for the main body 110.Instead of rolling or thermoforming the edges, edge depth, D_(MB), canalso be created through the use of an extruded seal around the outerperiphery 112. However created, the lip having edge depth, D_(MB), aidsin concealing the attachment system 150 from view once the vehicleshield 100 has been installed on the vehicle 200. Furthermore, edgedepth, D_(MB), increases the aerodynamic properties of the vehicleshield 100 by directing airflow over the protection surface 120.

Once the vehicle shield 100 has been installed, the protection surface120 is located at a stand off height, H, above the exterior surface 202of the vehicle 200. As can be seen at FIG. 7, stand off height, H, isapproximately the sum of the adhesive tape section thickness, T_(AS) andthe main body thickness, T_(MB). In the case that the main body 110edges are rolled, edge depth, D_(MB), will be slightly less than theheight, H, such that the adhesive tape sections project away from theattachment surface 130 sufficiently to reach the hood 204 or frontfascia 206 of the vehicle 200. Or stated another way, the minimumthickness of the adhesive tape sections, T_(AS), is at least the same orexceeds the edge depth, D_(MB). Because the vehicle shield has acontoured shape 122, 132, that follows the contoured shape of thevehicle hood 204 or the front fascia 206, the stand off height, H, isrelatively constant across the main body 110. In some embodiments, thisconfiguration will result in the stand off height, H, at any point alongthe main body as being less than 0.25 inches. Because of this low standoff height, it should be appreciated that substantial protection to thehood 204 or front fascia 206 can be obtained with minimal impact on theaerodynamics of the vehicle, while also achieving improved vehicleaesthetics with the disclosed low profile design of the vehicle shield100. Furthermore, it should also be appreciated that the aerodynamic lowprofile design of vehicle shield 100 will reduce the likelihood ofexcessive hood flutter while driving at high speeds.

As stated previously, the main body 110 has a length, L_(MB). In thecase where the vehicle shield 100 is mounted to the hood 204 of avehicle 206, the main body length, L_(MB) can be sized to substantiallymatch the leading edge width, W_(H), of the hood which is defined by thefront side edges of the hood. However, it should be understood that themain body 110 can be slightly inset from the side edges of the hood toensure proper clearances. In most embodiments, the length of the mainbody is at least as long as a majority of a width of a leading edge ofthe vehicle hood for which the vehicle shield is adapted. Additionally,the leading edge 112 a of the main body 110 can have an edge profilethat matches the edge profile of the leading edge 204 a of the hood 204.By use of the term “edge profile” it is intended to mean the outline ofthe hood or main body leading edge when viewed from a top perspective.In the event that the vehicle 200 has an emblem 214 that may interferewith the installation of the vehicle shield 100, an aperture 214 can beprovided in the main body 110 for the emblem 214, as shown in FIGS. 9and 14. Where the main body 110 is attached to the front fascia 206 of avehicle 200, the length, L_(MB), of the main body 110 can be formed asdesired to ensure proper protection and aesthetic appearance. In theembodiments shown at FIGS. 16-17, vehicle shield 100 is installed on thefront fascia 206 between the leading edge of the hood 204 a and thefront grille 212 and has a length, L_(MB), that is greater than theleading edge width of the hood, W_(H).

To install the vehicle shield 100, the above described vehicle shield100 is positioned over the exterior surface 202 of the vehicle 200. Thevehicle shield is then aligned with the appropriate structure on thevehicle 200, for example the leading edge 204 a and the side edges 204c, 204 d of the hood 204. Once aligned, the adhesive tape liner 154 isremoved from the adhesive tape sections, 150 a-150 d. Subsequently,pressure is applied to the protection surface 120 of the main body 110in the direction of the attachment surface 130 such that the adhesivetape sections, 150 a-150 d, fully engage the exterior surface 202 of thevehicle 200. Once the vehicle shield 100 has been installed, aprotective film covering that is shipped on the protective surface canbe removed. One skilled in the art will appreciate that no tools arerequired for such an installation, and that no part of the vehicleshield 100 extends below the hood 204, or any other part of the vehiclein order to ensure a secure connection to the vehicle 200. Furthermore,it should be appreciated that this type of vehicle shield can beinstalled on any type of vehicle, even those which are not able toaccept a traditional vehicle shield requiring clips or fasteners.

With reference to FIGS. 18-21, vehicle shield 100 can be complimentedthrough the use of side shields 100′. As shown, side shields 100′ aremounted to the vehicle 200 on each side of the vehicle shield 100 atfenders 210 and 208. This arrangement provides the appearance of acontinuous shield that extends beyond the width, W_(H), of the hood 204.Similarly to the vehicle shield 100, side shields 100′ have a main body110′ and an attachment system 150′. Furthermore, as side shields 100′are constructed similarly to the vehicle shield 100, the foregoingdescription of the vehicle shield 100 is incorporated into its entiretyfor the side shields 100′.

The main body 110 of shield 100 and the main body 110′ of the sideshields 100′ may be made from a variety of materials, such as acrylic,ABS plastic, or other suitable materials. However, one skilled in theart will appreciate that other materials may be used without departingfrom the concepts presented herein. These materials allow for the mainbody 110, 110′ to be permanently molded into virtually any contouredshape that will complement the contoured shape of a vehicle hood 204,the front fascia 206, or the fenders 208, 210. Typical thicknesses forthe main body 110 materials are 0.085 inch and 0.1 inch. The thicknessof the material can be less than 0.085 inch, such as 0.05 inch and canbe more than 0.1 inch, such as 0.15 inch or 0.25 inch. These thicknessesgive the main body 110, 110′ sufficient structural integrity to retaintheir molded contour and shape, once formed. The protection surface canalso be given a smoke appearance or have a chrome or painted finish. Inthe case of chrome or painted finishes, this can be accomplished throughthe application of a film onto the protection surface 120, 120′. In theparticular embodiments shown at FIGS. 8 and 10-12, the protectionsurface 120 has a chrome finish. In the embodiments shown at FIGS. 9 and13-17, the protection surface has a smoke appearance.

The above specification, examples and data provide a completedescription of the manufacture and use of the composition of theinvention. Since many embodiments of the invention can be made withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the invention, the inventionresides in the claims hereinafter appended.

We claim:
 1. A vehicle shield configured to at least partially cover avehicle, the vehicle shield comprising: a main body configured forattachment to a hood of the vehicle, the main body comprising: a leadingedge, a trailing edge, a first side edge, a second side edge, a lengthextending between the first side edge and the second side edge, and awidth extending between the leading edge and the trailing edge, whereinthe length of the main body is greater than the width of the main body;a protection surface extending between the leading edge, trailing edge,and the first and second side edges of the main body, the protectionsurface configured to face away from the hood of the vehicle; and anattachment surface opposite the protection surface, the attachmentsurface extending between the leading edge, trailing edge, and the firstand second side edges of the main body, the attachment surfaceconfigured to face towards the hood of the vehicle; and an attachmentsystem comprising: a first adhesive tape section connected to theattachment surface and configured to secure the leading edge of the mainbody to the hood of the vehicle, the first adhesive tape sectionextending along the length of the main body proximate to the leadingedge, the first adhesive tape section comprising a first length and afirst channel; and a second adhesive tape section connected to theattachment surface and configured to secure the trailing edge of themain body to the hood of the vehicle, the second adhesive tape sectionextending along the length of the main body proximate to the trailingedge, the second adhesive tape section comprising a second length and asecond channel; wherein the first channel of the first adhesive tapesection and the second channel of the second adhesive tape section areconfigured to allow moisture to drain away from the main body.
 2. Thevehicle shield of claim 1, wherein the first channel is positioned alonga midpoint of the first length of the first adhesive tape section andwherein the second channel is positioned along a midpoint of the secondlength of the second adhesive tape section.
 3. The vehicle shield ofclaim 2, wherein the midpoint of the first length of the first adhesivetape section is aligned with the midpoint of the second length of thesecond adhesive tape section.
 4. The vehicle shield of claim 1, whereinat least one of the midpoint of the first length of the first adhesivetape section and the midpoint of the second length of the secondadhesive tape section is positioned at a midpoint of the length of themain body.
 5. The vehicle shield of claim 1, wherein at least one of thefirst channel of the first adhesive tape section and the second channelof the second adhesive tape section is about 0.25 inch.
 6. The vehicleshield of claim 1, further comprising a pair of side portions located onopposite ends of the main body, the pair of side portions being integralwith the main body such that the attachment surface of the main bodyextends to the pair of side portions.
 7. The vehicle shield of claim 6,wherein a length of each of the pair of side portions is less than thelength of the main body and a width of each of the side portions isgreater than the width of the main body.
 8. The vehicle shield of claim1, wherein the second length of the second adhesive tape section isgreater than the first length of the first adhesive tape section.
 9. Thevehicle shield of claim 1, further comprising one or more padsconfigured to contact the hood of the vehicle and space the vehicleshield away from the hood of the vehicle.
 10. The vehicle shield ofclaim 6, further comprising a third adhesive tape section located on oneof the pair of side portions, wherein the third adhesive tape section isnot connected to either of the first or second adhesive tape sections.11. The vehicle shield of claim 10, wherein the third adhesive tapesection comprises a third length that is smaller than both of the firstand second lengths of the first and second adhesive tape sections. 12.The vehicle shield of claim 11, wherein the first adhesive tape sectioncomprises a first width, the second adhesive tape section comprises asecond width, and the third adhesive tape section comprises a thirdwidth, and wherein the third width is greater than the first width andthe second width.
 13. A vehicle shield configured to at least partiallycover a vehicle, the vehicle shield comprising: a main body configuredfor attachment to the vehicle, the main body comprising: a leading edge,a trailing edge, a first side edge, a second side edge, a lengthextending between the first side edge and the second side edge, and awidth extending between the leading edge and the trailing edge, whereinthe length of the main body is greater than the width of the main body;a protection surface extending between the leading edge, trailing edge,and the first and second side edges of the main body, the protectionsurface configured to face away from the vehicle; and an attachmentsurface opposite the protection surface, the attachment surfaceextending between the leading edge, trailing edge, and the first andsecond side edges of the main body, the attachment surface configured toface towards the vehicle; and an attachment system comprising: a firstadhesive section connected to the attachment surface and configured tosecure the leading edge of the main body to the vehicle, the firstadhesive section extending along the length of the main body proximateto the leading edge, the first adhesive section comprising a firstlength; and a second adhesive section connected to the attachmentsurface and configured to secure the leading edge of the main body tothe vehicle, the second adhesive section extending along the length ofthe main body proximate to the leading edge, the second adhesive sectioncomprising a second length; wherein a first end of the first adhesivesection and a second end of the second adhesive section are separated bya first channel, the first channel configured to allow moisture to drainaway from the main body of the vehicle shield.
 14. The vehicle shield ofclaim 13, wherein the first and second adhesive sections compriseadhesive tape.
 15. The vehicle shield of claim 13, wherein the first andsection adhesive sections are configured to secure the leading edge ofthe main body to a hood of the vehicle.
 16. The vehicle shield of claim13, further comprising: a third adhesive section connected to theattachment surface and configured to secure the trailing edge of themain body to the vehicle, the third adhesive section extending along thelength of the main body proximate to the trailing edge, the thirdadhesive section comprising a third length; and a fourth adhesivesection connected to the attachment surface and configured to secure thetrailing edge of the main body to the vehicle, the fourth adhesivesection extending along the length of the main body proximate to thetrailing edge, the fourth adhesive section comprising a fourth length;wherein an end of the third adhesive section and an end of the fourthadhesive section are separated by a second channel, the second channelconfigured to allow moisture to drain away from the main body of thevehicle shield.
 17. The vehicle shield of claim 16, wherein the secondchannel is aligned with the first channel.
 18. The vehicle shield ofclaim 13, further comprising one or more pads configured to contact thevehicle and space the vehicle shield away from the vehicle.